Man who hailed cab after shoplifting to plead guilty

By JAMES A. KIMBLEUnion Leader Correspondent

Shaun Klier, 30, of Lawrence, Mass., is expected to plead guilty to theft for allegedly trying to heist four cases of beer, diapers and baby formula. His alleged partner, James Murphy, 47, is already serving a year in jail on related charges. (COURTESY)

BRENTWOOD - A Massachusetts man who tried to use a taxi as a getaway car during an alleged shoplifting spree at a Walmart in Salem is expected to plead guilty.

Shaun Klier, 30, of Lawrence, Mass., has struck a plea deal with county prosecutors days after his alleged partner was sentenced to a year in jail, according to court records. Klier is expected to enter his guilty plea on Dec. 12.

John Murphy, 47, of Lawrence, began serving his jail term on Nov. 21, the same day he pleaded guilty to attempted theft by unauthorized taking, resisting arrest and false reports to law enforcement.

The two men were arrested by Salem police on April 24 after four cases of beer, two cases of diapers and a case of baby formula were swiped from the Walmart store and they then boarded a cab to elude capture, according to police.

The cab driver said no way to their fare.

The men then fled on foot in opposite directions, police said. Klier, who remains held at the Rockingham County jail, was apprehended at a gas station parking lot. Murphy was arrested outside a gym.

The two men were indicted by a grand jury in August.

Murphy received two consecutive 12-month jail sentences on Nov. 21 after pleading guilty to charges of resisting arrest and making false reports to law enforcement. While being taken into custody, he struggled with police officers and then lied about his identity, indictments say. Those sentences were suspended, but Murphy is serving another 12-month sentence on the theft conviction.

Terms of Klier's plea agreement have not yet been made public. Klier is facing a single count of attempted theft by unauthorized taking, a charge punishable by up to 3½ to 7 years in state prison.

At the time of his arrest, he also had an outstanding warrant for a probation violation in Rockingham County, police said.